Johannesburg - The NPA in Mpumalanga has confirmed the sentencing of two former Skukuza rangers to 14 years direct imprisonment after they were found guilty of game poaching-related offences.
The two suspects, 31-year-old Hendrick Experience Silinda and 38-year-old Achieve Musa Mlambo, were on Tuesday convicted and sentenced by the Skukuza Regional Court for their role in poaching of animals in the Kruger National Park.
According to the NPA, on February 26, 2019, the pair were on duty when the regional rangers received information that poachers were going to enter Kruger National Park.
NPA spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said regional rangers acting on a tip-off followed the pair to a camp where they were found with hunting rifles and live ammunition.
“They followed the information and went to the camp where the two officials were deployed and started searching. They found Silinda and his co-accused Mlambo, in possession of a hunting rifle, seven live ammunition, a silencer, and three hunting knives,” Nyuswa said.
It is further reported that during the trial, the pair pleaded not guilty, claiming that they were being framed.
“They pleaded not guilty and claimed that they are being framed. State prosecutor Lot Mgiba, led evidence of the arresting officers who testified about how they found the hunting rifle hidden in their tent. The senior rangers also testified they confirmed that the rifle that was in their possession, does not belong to SANParks,” she said.
The NPA said it was later proven that their claims were not true after a ballistic report confirmed the allegations.
“The ballistic report was also presented, it confirmed that the hunting rifle had a serial number obliterated. The pair were convicted of possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm with a serial number obliterated, possession of seven live ammunition and possession of three hunting knives, and sentenced to 14 years direct imprisonment each. The court ordered some of the sentences to run concurrently, the effective sentence being seven years imprisonment each,” Nyuswa added.
The NPA said it welcomes the conviction and sentence, with the hope it will address the fight against poaching in the country.
The conviction of the two rangers comes hot on the heels of the sentencing of two other rangers, aged 56 and 60, who were arrested in April by the Hawks and the Skukuza Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit on charges related to fraud, money laundering and corruption in April this year.
The Star